Free As A Bird
by lexster2jo
Summary: It only takes one. But what if there were two?
1. Chapter 1

Disclamer: I don't own nor do I have any rights to the Once Upon A Time series, just my own characters and plots.

* * *

**The Enchanted Forest, many years ago**_**.**_

„_Aaaaaah_!"

A scream rang through the castle. It was coming from a room at the end of the hall at the highest tower. The door was open, revealing a view of a woman writhing in pain on a bed in the centre of the chamber. She was on her back with pillows positioned underneath her, keeping her in a halfway siting position as she was catching her breath. She grabbed the hands of the man siting next by her and tried to breath steadily which proved to be more and more difficult by the minute.

"Ahh! I can't... have this baby now!" she struggled to say.

The man holding looked down on her and grimaced. He hated seeing her in pain. He'd been rubbing her back in attempts of soothing her, trying to support her in any way but he knew there wasn't much he could do.

He still couldn't believe this was happening. They'd been preparing for the arrival of their firstborn for months, they had a clear plan but with the curse and all the preparations for the worse, this came rather unexpectedly.

His wife had gone into labour sooner than anticipated and, while he couldn't wait to meet his daughter, his mind seemed unable to keep the thoughts of the currently arriving curse out of his head. The curse they had no way of escaping yet and it started to look like they will not have it in time.

But he couldn't do anything about that. He couldn't stop the curse nor make the wardrobe necessary to travel to safety – but what he could do was to be there for his wife.

He looked at the dwarf on the other side of the bed.

"Doc, do something," he said while getting closer to Snow. He let her lean on him and soothingly put his head next to hers.

Doc went to wipe the sweat off of Snow's face knowing there's not much he can do to help the pain.

Trying to maintain steady breathing again she moved closer to Charming.

"It's going to be okay," he said and tried to reassure her with honest eyes.

"The wardrobe is almost finished. Just... just hold on," he said, his voice wavering.

She closed her eyes and nodded before another scream escaped her.

Outside the castle, between the trees surrounding the kingdom, a purple smoke was leisurely making its way forward. It was covering everything it touched, everyone in near distance – no one was able to escape. With it, a carriage accompanied by black horses was approaching the castle. There were flashes of light within the smoke and, as the carriage was getting closer, a loud rumble rang all over the kingdom.

People in the castle felt chills running up their spine and some were able to see the horses. They froze, feeling their heartbeats fastening as another rumble rang. Then, panicking they started calling out warnings, orders and prayers.

"Aaaah!" Another long cry made Snow lean forwards as she attempted to not let the thunder noises, now coming periodically, effect her.

She cried out again and this time another screamed joined her – louder, shriller and more uncontrollable.

Snow looked up and held her breath for a second, all pain fading away as realized what had happened.

Her daughter was here.

She breathed out shakily, closed her eyes and smiled as she listened to the cries, exhausted.

Charming looked up to his wife, his face shocked as realization hit him as well. Everything as if fastened, he turned to Doc and watched as the dwarf carefully placed the baby into a blanket, gently patting her little cheek with a wet cloth.

In trance he took notice of every movement she was making. She was stretching her arms, reaching for something as if she knew her parents were right next to her. Crying with her eyes closed, he felt his chest clench and wanted to reach for her and sooth her.

"She's so beautiful," Snow breathed out.

Charming nodded his head a little, not taking his eyes off of her.

After she'd been cleaned, Doc put her in a white knitted blanket with the word 'Emma' embedded on it. He smiled at her and went to give her to the awaiting parents.

Snow was already reaching her hands forward, shaking with anticipation.

The baby was still crying as Snow slowly took her and carefully put her to her chest. Immediately Snow started to gently sway her from side to side, whispering 'shhhh' every now and then. And as if the baby had known who was holding her, she slowly started to quiet down and looked up.

Both Snow and Charming watched as their daughter opened her eyes for the first time. Her eyelids flickered before revealing big light eyes shining from the reflection of all the candles around the room. Mouth opened, she was moving her eyes confused all around before she found two big shapes and just looked in their direction.

She was perfect.

They both smiled at the same time and looked at each other. This was the moment they had been waiting for for so long. They'd though that when their daughter would be born, the curse would have already been casted and they would be separated, not being there for each other to witness this. But now, their child was here. In their arms, safe and healthy and they were all together. They didn't care about the curse right now, they didn't care about the Evil Queen or anything else. All that mattered was them, all of them.

_Together_.

Suddenly an older man entered the room, interrupting the moment. He was holding a wooden hammer and wore a big smile on his face.

"It's ready," he said, excited.

The happy spell over the little family broke. They looked at him and tried to absorb what he was saying.

"It's ready," Charming whispered.

Their plan. Getting Snow to the wardrobe so that she could birth their baby in safety, out of the reach of the coming curse.

It had failed.

He looked at his wife, the smile from a second ago melting away. She was still watching the man, as if she hadn't understood what he'd said. She didn't want to think about it. She wanted one more moment of peace with her family.

She looked down at her drooling daughter with a sad smile.

It was too late.

And then she jerked forward.

"_Ahhhhh_!"

Her right arm went to her belly as she felt the now familiar pain.

Charming turn to her in shock and saw her grimacing in pain, tense, holding Emma with one hand trying not to hurt her.

He quickly but carefully grabbed the baby from her hands and looked at Doc. The dwarf was dashing back to the bed to see what was wrong.

"What's ha-happening?" Snow cried out, voice shaking with pain.

Charming put Emma closer to his chest and moved her so he was holding her with his right hand. Looking up at Doc, he rubbed Snows back with his left hand, desperately trying sooth her.

"There is... there is another one," said Doc, sounding surprised.

Snapping out of it, he quickly went to action and reached for the things that he had already put away.

"What?" Charming asked, wide eyed.

"_Ahhhhh_!"

A few minutes later a new baby cry reached their ears.

Snow, completely drained, had her head against Charming's shoulder. She was out of breath, eyes shut as she listened to the crying. Baby crying. A new baby.

_What?_

Charming, still in shock, watched as Doc once again cleaned a newborn baby. There was no blanket with a name sewed on it, so he grabbed the white soft sheet he had in his bag and wrapped it around the baby.

The crying had already stopped. Snow who had calmed down a bit opened her eyes, a bit lightheaded, and saw Doc handing a bundle of something white with dark spots at the side over to her husband.

"Congratulations, Snow. It's a healthy little girl," Doc grinned at her.

Charming had blurry vision as his eyes burned, and he looked at his daughter for the first time. She wasn't fussing or crying. No, she was calm, trying to focus her glance at him as if she wanted to know who he was. She was looking up at him with dark eyes, mouth slightly open, almost gaping, and her face grimaces at she did what Charming assumed was supposed to be a smile.

He couldn't help and laughed, a happy tear going down his face. She was absolutely adorable. He watched as she twisted her face, mouth still opened, no idea what she was doing but it seemed to amuse her. As he studied her face, he was hit with a feeling similar to déjà vu and continued to observe her, as if the answer was somewhere on her. And then it hit him. She had his mother's eyes.

His chest clenched a bit and he couldn't help but smile again.

"Let me see her," Snow whispered.

She kept her eyes on her as Charming handed her over, gently and carefully.

First thing she noticed was the hair. A surprising amount of thick raven black hair, much similar to her own, going in all directions was sticking out as the little girl continued grimacing with a bit of drool going down the corner of her tiny mouth.

Snows lips twitch at how silly she looked.

As she moved her closer and pressed her to her chest, mindful of not holding her too tight, it was as if the little one'd just realized she had been moved and stopped what she'd been doing to see what was happening and who was holding her. Snow watched as she looked all over the place before she found something to focus on and went back to making strange faces.

Snow looked what her daughter found so interesting and saw that she was looking in the direction of Charming who, like her, had a smile on his face.

Their eyes met and their smile widened.

Snow started moving the little one from side to side slightly as she looked back down on her. She felt so light right now, besides being exhausted and sore. With her husband, her daughter – _daughters_ she thought bewildered. She still couldn't believe that.

Only few hours ago, it was only her and Charming and now… Now they had two daughters – now they were officially a family.

She'd had so many plans. So many things prepared. A room for Emma, a crib, all variety of toys, space where she'd teach her how to walk, how to dance, where she'd help her pick out a dress for her first ball...

Of course, she'd have to arrange a whole other room and countless other brand-new things for this little surprise.

She smiled down at her.

And a loud rumble came from the window and she froze, as if her hearing had suddenly returned to her. And everything came crushing down on her.

She'd wanted this to last forever.

"The wardrobe..." she said quietly, absentmindedly, all happiness slowly wearing off.

_But it couldn't_.

Charming looked at her, seeing her expression change, eyes looking slightly to the left of the baby in her arms, unfocused.

"It only takes one," she finished and finally looked up at him.

Noises of battle and struggle outside came to them, adding panic.

The Evil Queen's guards were here. Along with the Evil Queen.

And her curse.

"Then our plan has failed," said Charming glancing at the door.

Snow looked at her daughters. Both started to cry as another thunder was heard.

"At least we're together," Charming send her an empty smile and move closer to her.

No.

This couldn't be the end.

She looked at Emma. So small, so cute. Their saviour, their first-born daughter. She felt so protective over her and as she watched her cry and fuss in her father's arms, she knew that she would go to hell and back just to give her a chance at a happy life.

And then their little surprise. Fussing and crying like her sister, Snow brought her closer to her chest and tried to calm her down, swaying her form side to side. She paused and looked up at her mother, stunning brown eyes wide as she made a coughing noise before moving her chubby hand up to Snow.

_No. _

She couldn't lose them.

"No," she whispered.

This can't be the end.

"You have to take them. Take them to the wardrobe," she said quickly not moving her gaze from her the baby in her arms.

Emma was the prophesied saviour, the one who was supposed to rescue them all.

_It only takes one._

But she couldn't.

No, she couldn't decide to leave one of her babies behind.

She _wouldn't_.

"Are you out of your mind?" Charming breathed out, his eyes full of tears as he stared at his wife.

This wasn't happening.

"No, no, it's the only way. You have to send them both," she said, quicker this time and looked up at him.

"No, no, no, you don't know what you're saying," Charming said, shaking his head but keeping his focus on Snow.

He would not send his daughters away.

No way.

"No, I do. We have to believe that there is enough magic to send them both. We have to believe that this is going to work," she tried to explain quickly. Her voice held more and more desperation each passing word, and pain clear as she choked up on the next sentence.

"We have to believe they will come back to us."

Charming grimaced as he felt like he couldn't breathe properly just from thinking about what Snow was suggesting.

He looked down. Both babies in distress as they heard another rumble and sounds of fighting in the castle were getting closer.

"We have to give them their best chance," Snow said quietly and she wished she didn't.

She couldn't believe she was even thinking about this. About sending her _daughters _away, into a world unknown to them, full of strangers and who knows what. They wouldn't be there to see them take their first steps, say their first words, they wouldn't be there to teach them right and wrong or how to stand up for themselves. Tell them stories about their family – where they came from and who they were.

They would not do any of that.

And her girls would have no idea why.

_Was it worth it?_

She looked at the child in her arms. At her daughter, who didn't even have a _name_. And she felt the same feeling she had with Emma, the fear of anything bad happening to her, the rage if someone even touched one hair on the full unpredictable mane she inherited from her.

And she knew.

She could _not _let them be subjected to this curse – _she would not_.

But she also knew that the little one might not even be able to go through the wardrobe. _It only takes one_, after all. One of her girls might not make it to the new land, or perhaps both of them won't be able to. But she couldn't separate them, she couldn't choose one of her daughters to be cursed and one to be send away. She would never do that.

She had to have hope.

"We have to hope they will be together," she said quietly.

Snow looked up to Charming, who had been thinking similarly. After a moment of silence, he swallowed and met her eyes. They nodded with pained expression.

Charming moved Emma closer to Snow and tensely watched as Snow shakily leaned closer to her and kissed her forehead. She stayed still for a moment before moving away, her eyes burning.

"Goodbye, Emma," Snow whispered hoarsely before Charming moved her into his arms.

She swallowed her tears and looked down, closing her eyes for a moment. She took a breath and moved to look at the little one still in her arms.

She was squirming around, looking all over. Snow couldn't help but smile sadly at her before leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead as she had done with Emma. She closed her eyes and went to move away, when she felt a light touch on her cheek. Her eyes flew open and she saw the little one moving her hand next to her face before grabbing a loose strand of Snow's hair.

Snow felt a lump in her throat as she laughed silently in amazement. The first time her daughter grabbed something.

The only first she would witness.

_It only takes one._

Maybe she could stay.

They could raise her and have at least one child with them.

_No._

No,she couldn't do that. She couldn't be selfish like that. Put her own child through an awful curse just to have her by her side.

And Emma... She would _not_ choose one child. She would not separate them. No. She had to hope they will be together.

She had to believe they will be there for each other. That they would protect each other.

She took a breath and gently removed her daughter's little fist away.

The little one let out a squeak and reached out again, as if this was the most entertaining game. Snow felt her eyes burn with tears and this time she didn't try to hold them back. She watched as her husband took her and looked at her with his eyes shining and mouth tight as he bit his lip, trying to hold back a sob.

"Goodbye..." Snow said and choked up.

_She doesn't even have a name_.

Charming leaned forward and kissed her. Snow placed her hand on his cheek as their lips touched what could, _and would_, be the last time for a very long time, lingering and trying to place in her memory what his lips felt like.

Charming wanted to stay, he wanted to never leave and was on verge of doing just that when he felt Emma move in his arms. He _felt _something in his chest hurt as he moved away and stood up.

Snow moved her hand to her lips and watched Charming move both daughters in his left arm, placing them next to each other. He made sure they were secure and went to his sword.

He pulled out the blade from the scabbard and turned around.

He saw Snow watching them, tears going down her cheeks.

They shared one last look before Charming walked out the door.

Walking through the hallway and going to the chamber he knew the wardrobe was in, he was looking for the Queen's guards he was sure were roaming the castle. He was barely past the first turn when he heard his wife howl in pain. Closing his eyes, he slowed down. He had half a mind to turn back and go to his wife. But he swallowed down the pain and continued his way, faster.

He got to the corridor where the room Emma's room was without any trouble, checking his daughters every other second, when her came to a stop. Before him were two of the Evil Queen's guard running their swords through his men that had been assigned the security of the wardrobe. They were right before the door to Emma's room.

He looked down at his daughters and took better hold of them. Emma had fell asleep on the way there, but her sister was wide awake, fussing and reaching up to grab something, continuing the entertaining game she'd started with Snow. The corner of his lips went up when he saw her nose scrunch.

He heard steps getting louder, closer and faster and looked up to see the two guards sprinting towards him. He tightened his hold on the sword and move forward.

He blocked the sword going for him on the left, moved forward and turned around, slashing his own sword through the man's back. Then quickly with the handle of the sword smacked the other guard in the throat that he revealed to him. Turning back around he went to slash the first man again, but instinctively moved back and avoided what could be a lethal blow from the other guard.

Charming felt his other opponent going at him and quickly moved aside and with his sword blocked the guard's blade just in time. He held it for a second, feeling the strength behind it. He saw that it almost hit slashed Emma, who was by some miracle still asleep, and pushed it away with force he didn't know he was capable of, enraged. He moved quicker and with clenched teeth not losing his focus, stabbed one of them, leaving only one left.

He turned around and immediately moved aside when he saw a sword coming at him. Before he could react, he felt fire in his chest, quickly spreading to his shoulder.

"Ahhh!"

He gritted his teeth, trying to push the pain away and with a battle cry slashed the guard under his arm before stabbing him in the stomach.

As the man felt down Charming felt his knees going weak but managed to stay on his feet and with eyes half shut moved his hand toward his shoulder. He saw blood coming out of the wound, which he noted was a long slash through his white shirt, making the red more prominent. Not having the time to stop the bleeding, he kept moving. He went toward a wooden door and kicked them open. His eyes caught the wardrobe straight away and trying to ignore the pain, her hurried into the room and the tree in the middle of it.

He opened the small wooden door and put his sword down. Carefully moving the twins, putting Emma into his right hand, cautious to support her neck.

This was it.

He breathed out, painfully aware that he had no time for a long goodbye. He leaned down and softly placed a kiss on her head. Swallowing, he moved away and hurried to put her in inside the wardrobe.

Then he moved his other daughter slowly from his left arm, which was now bleeding profusely and a few drops sunk into the sheet the little one was covered in, to his right one to get a better hold of her. The pain was getting worse and he felt himself getting weaker.

The little one stopped fussing and was now looking up in his direction. He felt a lump in his throat as he watched her, his mother's eyes moving absentmindedly around his face.

_Our little surprise_.

He swallowed.

He had to believe this would work. That the wardrobe would take them both.

It _had _to take them both.

A groan interrupted his thoughts.

His head shot up to the door and saw one of the injured guards leaning against the frame, moving towards them with speed he underestimated.

Before he could react, he felt a dull pain as the guard pushed him, the baby still in his arms, and he lost control and felt himself fall back. Everything happening fast, he still tried to move the baby closer, to protect her from the impact somehow.

He heard a crack before he felt the pain of the impact. His back crushed into something hard and big, and before he knew it, he was on the ground, a groan escaping him as he subconsciously closed his eyes. His heartbeat was pulsing in his ears and he wanted to just close his eyes and sleep.

Disoriented, he opened his eyes and as he remembered what he had to do, adrenalin shot up and he quickly looked down to his daughter.

She was looking back at him and for the first time, her face managed a smile as she squealed and moved her chubby hand toward his face.

He breathed out in relief.

She was alright. She didn't hit anything.

He heard steps and looked up. The guard that had almost knocked him out was going towards the wardrobe Emma was in.

Hell no.

As quickly and gently as he could he put the baby on the ground and reached for his sword. Luckily it at arms distance.

He gritted his teeth and stood up. His legs were weak, and he swayed a little on his feet but managed to stay up. He raced forward and with one quick swing stabbed the guard who had just turned as he heard the steps. Charming pulled out the sword and pushed the man away from the wardrobe as he fell unconscious.

He was breathing heavily, wincing as he started to feel the pain more and more. He looked to the wardrobe and breathed out when he saw Emma was okay.

He turned around and went to get his other daughter.

He could see now what he'd been pushed on. The baby crib he'd picked with Snow, with a unicorn mobile hanging above it which was now shattered on the ground next to the little one, pieced all around her, the sheet that had been white when Doc wrapped it around her now dirty, with drops of his blood. She was oblivious to the destructions around her and still reaching with her tiny hand, trying to grab something.

His face softened when he saw her and he went to pick her up. He was slower now, the only thing pushing his further was his will, his body screaming at him to lie down and rest.

As he limped to her he missed how her hand touched a small silver circle that must have fallen off the mobile or somewhere from the crib, and she squeezed her fist wanting to grab it. But instead she grabbed air and only on her third try did she manage to snatch the object.

Charming felt his eyes closing as he reached his daughter and his face twisted in pain when he picked her up. As quickly as his body allowed him, he went back to the wardrobe and, just as he'd done with Emma, he kissed the little one's temple before placing her inside.

He moved her carefully and put her down next to her sister.

_Please let this work. _

"Find us," he said to both of them.

Sending one last look to his children, desperately trying to not think about the possibility that this might be the last time he saw them, he quickly closed the door of the wardrobe, before he changed his mind.

Just as the door closed, he heard someone running into the room. Two Dark knights were rushing through the kicked door.

Promptly, he grabbed his sword and swung it before him to block the knight, but he was only fast enough to block this one blow and didn't manage to move aside from the other knight's attack.

All noise stopped and time seemed to slow down. He stopped breathing as he looked down to see a sword in his stomach.

No longer being able to support himself, he went down as all strength abandoned him.

He couldn't feel the pain from the fall.

He couldn't move, he couldn't talk.

Everything was numb.

He laid on the ground and watched, all his energy leaving him.

The two knights marched towards the wardrobe.

His ears started to ring.

They kicked the door with the back of their swords.

His vision was getting blurry.

They went to look inside.

_It only takes one._

Please.

_Please_, let them both be safe.

_Please, let this work_.

He was laying on the ground, blood running down his stomach and his shoulder.

He felt himself growing weaker and weaker. His vision was more and more blurry. He tried to blink the starts away but he couldn't even move his eyelids.

But he had to see. He had to see if it had worked.

They opened the wardrobe.

_It was empty._

XxX

**Storybrooke, current time.**

"So it's true."

* * *

**Hello, so this is my not-so-new story, since I'm, you know, rewriting it. I hope you like it better - I sure do, and any comments are welcomed!**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclamer: I don't own nor do I have any rights to the Once Upon A Time series, just my own characters and plots.

* * *

**Storybrooke, current time.**

She was here.

Snow heard her own heartbeat in her ears, going so incredibly fast.

Her daughter was standing right in front of her.

This was it. What they had been waiting for, what they'd been dreading.

She felt oddly nervous and relieved at the same time.

It was over. The curse was broken.

A laugh escaped her.

Next to her stood Charming, frozen still. His gaze was set on Emma, mouth slightly opened.

He couldn't believe it. This grown woman... that was his daughter. His Emma. The little bundle of joy he had fought for ever since he'd found out Snow was pregnant. The crying tiny human he'd barely seen before the curse had hit.

_It seemed like yesterday._

Literally.

He had his memories as David Nolan, but – it was strange. As if all of his experience as David Nolan was a confusing dream that he was forced to live through but not allowed to participate in. Not allowed to interfere. He couldn't identify Regina as the Evil Queen, a woman who caused his family so much pain, he'd even been _pleasant _to her. He caused his own wife so much pain, he acted like a spineless coward – he couldn't even _recognize_ his own daughter.

Who stood directly in front of him. Watching him and Snow with tight mouth, eyebrows crocked together as she frowned. She looked as if she wanted to run away.

A part of him could still recall, quite vividly as in his mind it had happened not even a day ago, her fretting in Snows arms. Her expression as she opened her eyes for the first time. How his chest tightened when he had seen her. He was having a similar feeling right now.

He also felt adrenalin rushing through his body – he was expecting danger. The curse had already happened – it had also already been broken, but his body as if it hadn't grasped it yet. He felt restless. Ready to pick up a sword and fight once more.

But also, watching Emma, his _grown _daughter… it was calming somehow. Nerve-wracking as hell, he won't deny that, but also calming. Seeing her in front of him, knowing she's safe – that was helping.

Snow was the one to pick up the courage to come closer first. Step by step, she started erasing the distance between them. Slowly, as if Emma would disappear if she made any sudden movement, her eyes still set on and studying every inch of Emma's face. And shaking, her hands moved up to cup her daughter's cheeks.

At first glance, she didn't resemble Snow very much, one might argue that they didn't look alike at all. But as Snow continued studying her, she could see it. Of course, Emma had her father's hair colour – and cheekbones as she noticed now. Overall, she took after Charming more in terms of looks. But she had her eyes, they had similar shade – and chin! She had her chin.

Snow felt indescribably happy about that random fact.

Under observation she could even detect some of her mother's features. The sharp lines and faint elegance, that was all Queen Eva.

Her eyes started to burn. She took a deep breath and in one swift motion embraced her.

At that, Charming finally found the strength to move and slowly stepped forward to hug her as well, entranced. His hand went up to Emma's head, stopping before he got close enough to touch her.

"You found us," Snow drag out, her voice strained as she attempted to hold back her cries.

Charming's vision was getting blurry. He swiftly pulled closer to both Emma and Snow, his head next to Emma's as he closed his eyes and let a tear escape. How could it be years since he was this close to his own child?

"Grandpa?"

His eyes flew open and he looked down. Henry was standing a few feet away, watching them with uncertainty.

Snow laughed again, in pure joy.

Charming felt his lips twitch as he tried to shake off the trance, he felt himself falling into once more. He'd had enough of driving in the back seat to last him a lifetime.

It was time to wake up.

Snow continued laughing breathily as she and Charming pulled away from Emma, who also couldn't help herself and smile.

Snow watched, with a grin so wide her cheeks started to strain, as Charming looked down at Henry with amused expression and reached out to pat him on the back, pulling him closer.

This was so surreal.

"Yeah, kid," he breathed out, his smile widening, "I suppose so."

So _so _surreal.

Henry let his grandpa hug him, feeling victorious.

He knew it! He'd been right! All that time no one believing him, people thinking he was crazy – delusional for trying to save his family. And now they were finally free. They would finally take him seriously.

He looked around and saw Mary Margaret – _Snow White _holding Emma's palms in hers, watching her with an intense look.

"She did it. She saved you," he said and looked up at Charming, who was still hugging him.

He knew it.

His smile widened.

He knew his mom was the saviour!

"She saved all of us," Snow added not moving her eyes from Emma. Watching her with admiration, she felt so incredibly proud. That feeling was so… natural.

It was surreal, that's what it was. A few hours ago, she gave birth and saw her daughter for the first time. She'd been a bit freaked out by the protectiveness she'd immediately felt, how there was an entirely new person she'd had a family bond with.

She had felt so alone, especially after both her mother's and father's deaths. She felt abandoned by everyone, a little bit betrayed if she were to be honest with herself. Like something was ripped away from her.

When she discovered she was pregnant she'd been so excited not only about being a mum, but also about having a blood family again. Her own family. Her new person – _their _new person.

"I – well..."

Snow felt her chest tighten as Emma spoke for the first time.

_Not for the first time… what was her first word?_

Emma was watching Snow uncertainly, lost for words. She looked to Henry and David and back to Mary Margaret.

_Her parents_.

She didn't know what to say. She didn't know how to act – how to feel.

This...

This wasn't something she'd expected. Not by a long shot – all she'd thought about was saving Henry. Nothing else mattered.

And now... standing in front of her were the people she'd come to know the last few weeks, people she'd come to call friends. Only, even if they looked the same – Mary Margaret Blanchard and David Nolan were gone now. These two were strangers to her.

_But not really. _Are your parents strangers?

_Parents_. A topic she'd felt very bitter about for years – since she was old enough to understand what that word meant, really. She thought she'd imagined every scenario there was of who they might be. Of how she would meet them. When she was a little girl, she'd waited on them to come rescue her. As a teenager she literally could not stop thinking about them, especially since she felt like she needed them more. Which was strange because logically, children surely needed their mum and dad more, compared to a teenager at least. But as a kid she hadn't really understood what exactly she needed or what she was missing. What she should have had. As a teenager on the other hand, she learnt all that observing others with less clouded mind.

As an adult, she'd gradually lost all hope she had of finding closure. Which didn't stop her from thinking about _why _she was abandoned, because she did think about it. Every day, she wondered.

And out of everything she'd imagined…

Freaking _Snow White_ and _Prince Charming_ for goodness's sake. And their reason for giving her up? The Evil Queen is casting a curse on us – quick, let's send our kid through a tree to another world so that she could rescue us all. Because that's logical.

David was losing himself again.

Staring at Emma, he knew it was nonsensical, but he could not help himself and look for _any _similarities there might be between her and the baby he'd held. _28 years _ago. That night that happened _28 years ago_. The night he became a father of two baby girls.

_"What's ha-happening?" Snow cried out, voice shaking with pain._

_"There is... there is another one," said Doc, sounding surprised. _

_"What?" Charming asked, wide eyed._

His head snapped up.

He let go of Henry and took a step closer to Emma, looking at her heatedly.

"_Where_ is-"

He stopped breathing.

_She was looking up at him with dark eyes, mouth slightly open, almost gaping, and her face grimaced at she did what Charming assumed was supposed to be a smile._

Panic started to crawl through his veins.

"Your... your sister. Your sister – _where is she_?"

He couldn't remember ever seeing her in Storybrooke.

Not once.

_As he studied her face, he was hit with a feeling similar to déjà vu and continued to observe her, as if the answer was somewhere on her. And then it hit him. She had his mother's eyes._

Snow sharply breathed in.

Her daughter. She'd been so enamoured with Emma she hadn't even thought about...

What kind of mother forgets her own child?

She quickly searched her mind for any trace of her being mention by Emma.

She was in the storybook, Snow knew that. She was there, she'd seen a picture of her laying next to Emma with that eye-catching mane of hers.

But Emma never addressed her.

Snow was having trouble breathing.

She had held her a few hours ago!

_She was squirming around, looking all over. Snow couldn't help but smile sadly at her before leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead as she had done with Emma. She closed her eyes and went to move away, when she felt a light touch on her cheek. Her eyes flew open and she saw the little one moving her hand next to her face before grabbing a loose strand of Snow's hair. _

Emma slowly moved her head from David to Mary Margaret. Still disoriented, bewildered. It took her a second to catch what David was asking for.

She snapped her head to him, a lump forming in her throat.

"Rei... um, she..."

Snow took a sharp breath.

_Rei_.

"She…"

For a moment Emma thought about not telling them. She thought about saying that her sister was fine and just travelling around the world. Sparing them the pain she felt.

But then Henry caught her eye, who was watching her with slightly widened eyes. Emma imagined how eager he must be. He'd asked about Rei before, never getting any answers but never quite giving up. Not a quitter that one.

If it were her child, she would have wanted to know. She would have _needed_ to know.

She cleared her throat hoping it would somehow help. It didn't.

She looked at Mary Margaret, who was now gripping her hands without realizing it, and halted again at that look she was wearing.

The lump in her throat grew bigger.

"She is…" Emma looked away and took a deep breath. "Rei has been missing for the last 12 years. I've been trying to find her but..."

She tried to speak quickly but her voice got higher as she talked.

She did not want to have this discussion.

"What?" Snow breathed out.

She let go of Emma's hands and her body went still. Emma glanced at her before quickly looking away.

"But… she... she was here?" Charming didn't understand.

He _saw_ the wardrobe empty. She _had to _be here.

How… In what world would she manage to get to safety only to…

He watched Emma's face intensely. She tried to appear unfaced as much as she could. She didn't do a good job – like Snow, her expressions gave her away. He wanted to laugh at that.

But he found that he couldn't quite move.

"Well, we have to find her," said Henry, like it was the most obvious thing.

Emma looked at him, her expression softening.

"Kid..." she breathed out.

"No, no... Henry is right," Snow said slowly, her head subconsciously nodding as she looked into nothingness.

Yes. They would find her – they had to get as many information as they could, talk to Emma about everything that had happened, prepare to get out of the town…

Yes, they could do that.

She just needed to stop her heart from speeding.

She looked to Charming and saw he was staring at Emma, panicking, although desperately trying not to show it.

She turned to Emma.

"Henry is right. We are a family," she smiled at that. "and the curse is finally gone – thanks to you. And now… you aren't alone now. We-we are here and so…" Snow looked up to Charming, fidgeting.

She had thought she would have years before she would have to reason with her daughter.

_Was she a difficult child ?_

Not the time.

She shook her head and turned back to Emma.

"Now we get our family together – _all of us_. That's what we do best, we find each other. Always."

Henry smiled.

Emma looked away.

Charming kept his gaze on Emma before slowly looking to Snow.

How could she have so much hope, he'd never know. But it was her hope that told him to take both of their daughters to safety and as heart breaking as that decision had been, it also proved to be right. The wardrobe was supposed to only take one but somehow, _some way_, it had taken both Emma and – and Rei.

Snow turned at him and gave him a look. It was the 'it's going to be okay, trust me' look.

He had learned to trust that look.

He hoped she was right.

Emma observed them watching each other.

She didn't like the blind optimism. And she did _not _want to get into this right now, especially in front of the small group listening to their every word.

She eyed Leroy and his buddies before signing and interrupting Mary Margaret and David's moment.

"_Now_ we should focus on what happened with the smoke."

David looked up and frown but before he could say anything he was interrupted.

"Magic."

Emma turned around and saw Mother Superior walking up to their little group.

"I can feel it." She came directly to David. Mary Margaret's face lid up and she walked to them and reached out to squeeze Mother Superior's hands in a 'welcome back' gesture.

Emma watched them, silent. _Who was Mother Superior in Storyland again?_

Henry passed Emma and went between Snow and David, wiggling through, walking towards Mother Superior in amazement.

"Magic? In Storybrooke?" he asked with a shocked face.

Mother Superior smiled and nodded her head.

"You're the Blue Fairy – do something magical!" Henry was excited.

Emma wanted to laugh. _Blue Fairy, of course._

"It's not quite that simple, Henry. No wand, no fairy dust..." Mother Superior smiled emptily. "Matters are complicated now."

Grumpy stepped forward, angry.

"Let's go to the person responsible for bringing it," he said to Charming. "The Queen."

He crossed his arms. His brothers joined him nodding their heads.

Emma was standing by the side and frowned. She listened to them saying 'Let's go to the Queen' trying to wrap her mind around the fact that they were indeed talking about who had brought _magic _into the town.

She shook her head.

"No. Wait."

All the eyes turned to her.

She sighed.

"It wasn't Regina."

XxX

"Is there anything you want to ask us?"

Snow once again tried to engage in a conversation with Emma as they were marching the streets to Gold's shop. The whole group had decided to come and were walking behind the Charmings, giving them space.

"I mean I have so many questions, you must have as well," Snow continued, struggling for the right words.

Snow was dying to talk to Emma. Ask about _Rei_. About their life. About what had happened, how they grew up, what kind of relationship did they have.

How did Rei even look like?

"The only questions I have are for Mr. Gold," Emma said, looking straight ahead. She didn't even look behind her.

"Why did he double-cross me and what did he do to this town."

Snow shared a look with Charming.

"Um," Snow was confused.

She walked faster. Charming joined her as well and put his hand on Snow's back, both trying to catch up to Emma.

"Shouldn't… we… have a talk?" Snow tried again.

"About what?" Emma asked her casually and turned to Snow this time. As if asking about the weather.

"_Us_? You? Your… your sister?"

Emma raised her head higher.

"I mean… we want to know what happened and- and what… how- "

Emma interrupted her.

"Can we do that maybe… later," she waved her hand uncomfortably.

"Like, with a glass of wine... and several bottles," she added to herself and walked faster.

Snow looked to Charming for help and pushed him forward.

"It's a lot to take in, for _all of us_," he immediately said.

"We don't want to push," interrupted Snow quickly. "But we have waited for this moment for _so_ long-"

Emma couldn't take it anymore and turned around.

"Yeah, so have I!"

The whole group stopped.

"I've thought about this moment my entire life," she breathed out looking from Mary Margaret to David, eyes wide.

"I've imagined who you might be… but of all the scenarios I've concocted, my parents being..."

Snow stilled and frowned as she watched daughter search for a word to call them.

"I... I just need a little time, that's... that's all," Emma said uncertainly.

_What she really needed was the wine._

"Snow," David interrupted.

Snow slowly turned her head to him, eyes lingering on Emma. All her previous excitement gone.

Charming was looking at something behind Emma with a tense face. Snow looked the same direction.

A swarm of people emerged from the streets. They were all running and didn't seem very happy.

Emma turned as she heard the yelling just in time to see Archie dashing to them.

"There you are," he breathed out.

He moved closer to them, out of breath.

"Come with me, I need your help. Dr. Whale's whipped everyone to a frenzy. They're going to Regina's house," he said quickly, gesturing towards the crowd.

Emma looked past him to the people.

_Yep, that's a frenzy alright._

"They're gonna kill her," he said, eyes wide.

Emma's eyes jumped to Snow and David. Would that really happen?

"Great, let's watch," Leroy said dryly.

Henry looked at him, upset, and turned to Emma.

"No. No. We cannot stoop to her level," Archie immediately shut him down and turned to Emma. "No matter who she is or what she's done, killing her is wrong."

Henry instantly joined.

"He's right. Please, she's still my mom," he said, desperately looking around.

Emma's expression softened.

She turned to Snow and David.

"We have to stop them," she said quietly, looking to Snow.

David quickly turned around to the rest of their group.

"If the Blue Fairy is right and magic is here, Regina could have her powers back." He looked at the ongoing crowd.

"They could be marching into a slaughter," he looked to Snow. They'd both seen their fair share of Regina's massacres.

Snow took a deep breath and raised an eyebrow at Charming. He nodded and ran first before the rest joined him.

XxX

When they got to the front gate of Regina's house, they saw a raging crowd pointing and egging someone in the front on. They ran faster, Emma getting to the front.

She saw Whale pushing Regina into a white column before her door, his hand going to her neck. She ran faster.

"Let her go!" Emma screamed and pushed through the people surrounding them.

"Let her go. _Let her go!_" She quickly got to Regina and Whale and took hold of Whale's hand and pushed it away.

He eyed her.

"Why should I listen to you?" he asked, unbothered.

Emma stared at him and almost narrowed her eyes.

"Because I am still the sheriff," she said.

David watched her not backing down. She reminded him of Snow.

Seeing all the people itching for action again, he quickly swooped in the front.

"And because she saved you," he immediately said and looked from Emma to the people closest to them. "_All_ of you."

Some started listening.

Snow stood next to David, holding Henry close to her, watching the crowd sharply.

"And because no matter what Regina did, it does not justify _this_," she said.

Emma never stopped to look away from Whale, watching his every move.

"We are not murderers here," she said quietly.

Whale returned her look.

"Well, we're not from this world," he said, if a bit sarcastically.

"Yeah, well, you're in it now," Emma fired back.

David narrowed his eyes and quickly stepped forward to them.

"Okay, Whale, we're done," he said and went on to grab him. Whale immediately pushed back before David even touched him.

Regina, who'd been still backed into the column, rolled her eyes as Charming stepped in front of Whale, separating both her and Emma from him.

_Here we go._

"Back off. You're not my _prince_," Whale said mockingly and looked over David with distaste.

Charming wanted to disagree but stopped himself. He'd never seen _Doctor Whale _before. Not in the Enchanted forest.

He searched over his face, not moving an inch.

"Who are you, Whale?"

Whale smirked a bit.

"That's _my_ business."

David gave him a smile before taking a step forward.

"Well, my _business_ is making sure this town doesn't go to hell."

Emma tilted her head slightly as she watched him. Quite the change from a man she had only witnessed break Mary Margaret's heart. She hadn't thought much of him, she even wondered why Mary Margaret was so taken with him, to be honest. He was undecisive and from what she'd seen, easily manipulated.

This man, however. Well, he was different.

"So whether or not I am your _prince_, isn't the issue," David spat, not taking his eyes off Whale.

Emma made a face at the word.

_Prince, right. He was royalty._

"We have a lot to figure out and this isn't the way to do it," David spoke louder and firmer to the crowd.

He turned back to Whale and glared at him, almost daring him to go against him. Whale seemed ready to do so.

Snow rushed to the front.

"And Regina's death _won't_ provide any answers," she spoke loudly before turned to Regina. Who had been uncommonly quiet.

Snow didn't know how to feel about her. Waking up, reuniting with Charming, being surrounded by the people closest to her – seeing Emma… it all just seemed to wake _Snow _more and suppress Mary Margaret. So much had been going on that she didn't even have the time to think about her life as Mary Margaret, she'd been ignoring it, really. Pretending it was a bad dream – long but just a dream. But that dream had been her _life_. He _lived _as Mary Margaret for years. 28 years, to be exact. Every day she had felt empty and she had no idea why. She had no idea her husband was so close, she had no idea her daughter was in driving distance – she didn't even know she _had _a daughter.

And all of that just came rushing back to her as she watched Regina standing there, unfazed.

"She needs to be looked up," Snow said suddenly.

Regina forced a smile as she listened to Snow _defend _her.

"For her safety, and more importantly, for ours."

Snow raised her head and tried not to clench her jaw. Not the best time to feel the pint up anger of 28 years, especially with her daughter and grandson watching. Oh, and the group of people who would cheer her for loosing control.

Regina pushed herself from the column, straightened her posture and rolled her eyes.

_She was missing the curse already._

XxX

David pushed Regina in the cell and slammed the door with a loud shriek. Regina gritted her teeth and tried to compose herself as she turned around. She did not want the _smug shepherd_ to see he was getting to her.

"So I'm a prisoner now," she said.

David ignored her.

"The curse it broken, why didn't we go back?"

Going back to the Enchanted forest was something everyone assumed would happen when the curse broke. The fact that nothing of the sort had happened yet was fortunate for him, seeing as he had a daughter to find in the outside world, but he knew that with magic, he couldn't be sure of anything.

He needed more information. He needed to know if a big portal was coming their way and would swoop everyone back home or if they would spontaneously start disappearing one by one. Or if they were safe and set here.

"Because there's nothing to go back to," Regina said easily.

Snow turned to a side, trying to not let her face express what she was thinking. Regina watched her.

"That land is gone."

David stared at her for any sign of her lying. She turned to look at him, her face still.

He hadn't even considered that. The curse, all everyone ever talked about was it taking them away, to a cruel world, for them to suffer. Be separated from the people they love, not even being aware of it happening. No one had ever mentioned the possibility of it evaporating their home, too.

Snow looked away and felt her face twitch. She was thinking similarly.

She turned to David.

"We should get to Gold," she said quietly.

Surly he would know.

David looked at Regina again. She had to be lying.

But how could he be certain?

He put a hand at Henry's shoulder and pulled him towards the exit.

Regina kept her face hard and just watched as they all walked out with Henry in the front. Not even an hour of the curse being broken, and they had already taken her son.

When they were out of sight, she immediately went to the locked door.

She had to get out of here.

XxX

"Keep him safe, Ruby."

Charming watched as Emma leaned forward to the opened window and ruffled Henry's hair. Henry made a face at her, which she returned, before she moved away as the car started to move.

He wanted to smile.

But his head couldn't stop thinking about his daughter. _Rei_, he reminded himself.

_As he studied her face, he was hit with a feeling similar to déjà vu and continued to observe her, as if the answer was somewhere on her. And then it hit him. She had his mother's eyes._

He kept going back to that. He kept getting flashes of her.

He felt restless. Wanting to punch something, someone – anyone.

He pushed back a scoff. As if finding someone he loved was that easy.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes.

Just the fact that he had no idea where she was – what she looked like even… it was driving him crazy. All of this was driving him crazy. But he knew he had to wait, he had to focus on one thing at a time. First, the whole mess with the Enchanted forest, if what Regina had said was the truth. He wouldn't put it past her to lie just to screw with them.

Then he could put all of his energy on finding Rei.

It would help no one if he wasn't focused and just delayed everything. He had to pull himself together and get a move on.

He took a deep breath. How had Snow not have a breakdown yet, this was maddening.

He looked to her and chuckled. Of course.

"Don't push it, Snow," he muttered to her as he saw Emma walking back to them.

"I won't," Snow said with an unusually high voice.

The corner of his mouth lifted.

Emma waved at Henry as he rode off and stepped to them.

"You guys ready?" Emma asked.

"We need to talk."

David closed his eyes and chuckled. Record time.

Emma's eyes widened a bit. She blinked and almost turned back around.

"I... well, I don't... I don't wanna talk," she finally said strongly.

"Well, I do."

Emma opened and closed her mouth at that.

"Okay. Gold can wait. I can't," Snow continued. She acted like she might burst.

Emma looked down.

"And, you're my daughter and... I want to talk to you." Snow took a deep breath and smiled

Emma still wasn't looking at her and Snow started to get nervous.

"I know we _have_ talked, but… we didn't know that we were talking..."

David shook his head and rubbed his face, not saying anything. Emma watched him.

"And we talked about things we probably shouldn't have even talked about... one-night stands and alike," Snow stopped herself and averted her eyes.

Charming's head shot up.

"One-night stands?" he repeated.

"Whale," Snow shushed him.

Emma closed her yes.

"_Whale?!_"

"We were cursed," Snow waved her hand.

David opened and closed his mouth.

"That is neither here nor there. The point is," she ignored David and focused on Emma, who looked like she'd rather fight a dragon again.

"We did not know that we were mother and daughter and now we do, and so... please let's talk."

She was whispering towards the end. Emma watched her for a bit.

"Okay," Emma said. Partly to stop this monologue.

She signed.

"What do you wanna talk about?"

Snow smiled.

Of course, she wanted to talk about Rei. _God_, she had so many questions…

But how do you ask about your daughter's –

"_Rei has been missing for the last 12 years. I've been trying to find her but..."_

– disappearance?

Her chest tightened.

Kidnapping?

"Your sister… I – she… how – "

"I don't want to… to discuss her. Right now. We should – we should go to Gold." Emma looked away and stepped forward to leave.

"No – wait!" Snow moved to grab her, but Emma flinched before she could touch her. Snow pulled her hand back.

There was an awkward pause.

David moved closer to Snow and carefully watched Emma, who was looking away.

"I agree," he started quietly. "We should talk to Gold. We… we need to figure this out – what his intentions are, what's going to happen to us…" He breathed out. "But we _do_ need to talk about Rei."

That was the first time he said his daughter's name aloud.

Emma looked to him.

"Maybe not right now. But soon. We deserve to know," he added quietly, his eyes big.

Emma pushed back a sigh. She knew he was right.

"Okay, I – we can talk after. After we deal with… this."

David nodded and smiled at her. She didn't know how to feel about the look he was giving her.

Snow watched them anxiously. Emma was still frowning but nodded at David anyway and they both moved to go to Gold's shop.

Snow swallowed.

"Wait!"

They both turned around.

Emma had her head tilted and avoided Snow's look.

"Okay. I just – I need to know."

"Snow…"

Snow ignored him.

"We can talk about Rei," she swallowed. "Later. Okay? But right now, I just, I need to know why you're…" she stopped herself.

Emma looked at her.

"We're together, finally... and I understand, I understand that this is a difficult situation but," she took a deep breath. "I can't help feeling as if… you are not… happy about it. Us, being here – being together."

"Oh, I am," Emma quickly said and took a step forward.

"But… see…"

Both David and Snow watched her intensely.

She took a deep breath and faced them head on.

"Here's the thing. No matter _what_ the circumstances… for 28 years I only knew one thing... that my parent sent me away."

Snow was quick to answer.

"We did that... to give you your _best chance_."

Emma watched as Mary Margaret smiled, looking somewhat… proud? _Pleased? _

She didn't share that sentiment.

"You did it for everyone. Because that's who you are… leader, heroes… princes and princesses," she struggled to even say that ridiculous concept.

"And... that's _great_ and... and amazing and... wonderful." She signed. "But it doesn't change the fact that… _our_ entire lives... we've felt alone."

This was one of the first pieces of information both Snow and David learnt about their daughters' lives.

Snow raised her head as she felt a lump in her throat and pressed her lips together before swallowing.

"But if we hadn't sent you away… you would have been cursed too," she said with humourless chuckle.

Emma looked at her and gave her a sad smile.

"But we would have been together," she looked at David before going back to Snow. "Which curse is worse?"

No answer.

Emma signed.

"Come on. Let's... let's go find Gold."

This time she left before they could stop her.

Both Snow and Charming tried to search for something to say as she was walking away but there was nothing.

What could they say?

She was right.

* * *

**Hello, here is another chapter. Hope you enjoy it, Charmings reunions can be a bit chaotic…**

**Again, I appreciate any comments you've got!**


End file.
